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Monday, January 17, 2011

Brassy

This is the seventh winter this blog has been around, and I seem to write about it every year. Curb to curb snow plowing is a foreign concept in the city of Scranton, and there's no need for it to be avoided-- especially downtown. Here's what you do. Establish alternate side of the street parking after a storm so the plows can get in there and clean the parking spaces.

This was the scene Thursday afternoon on Courthouse Square. The driving lanes were clear, but the parking area was a snow covered mess. A deep freeze is coming, so what you see here will freeze into a solid icy mass when the sun goes down.

Things will be a little different in the months to come, and not for the better.

The city upped rates at parking meters last year. Now, the city is putting in a "smart meter" system-- one that lets meter readers know the second your meter time expires.

So, not only are you paying more for a snow covered and slippery space, you'll stand a better chance of getting a ticket if you park in one. I thought we were trying to get more people to shop and establish businesses downtown-- not drive them away. We're paying more, and getting less.

I know the city needs the money, but the whole concept doesn't seem quite fair to me.